I Know My Place
by liltikewriter
Summary: In their fight with the Foot, Mikey is badly wounded and Leo finds himself face to face with the Shredder himself. Leo finds out Karai is his sister and is persuaded to join the foot. Will Leo join and will Mikey survive? This is my first fan fic so lay off the hateraid (:
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Leo's head was spinning. He clutched both of his katanas tightly, but he felt numb all over.

"You're… you're lying." He stuttered.

"If only I was, Leonardo. But you cannot deny the truth." The Shredder said, staring straight into his eyes. The turtles had come to battle the shredder one last time, but after Mikey was seriously injured, Donnie took him back to the lair as Raph battled off the last of the foot solders. Now, Leo was left face to face with the Shredder.

"Karai left Splinter after he tried to destroy her. Soon he will do the same to you." Behind his mask, the Shredder began to smile. He had Leonardo's mind working against itself, and soon could turn him against Hamato Yoshi.

"Master Splinter would never treat anyone like that. Not us or especially his own daughter!" Leo spat. But he wasn't so sure. If his own sister left, should he?

"Leonardo, you're talents are wasted working under such a fool. Join me, and we will take down Splinter before he tries to take down you."

Leo took a step towards Shredder. "But I…"

"Leo! Come on!" Raphael yelled from on top the windowsill. Leo turned and jumped up next to Raph, who quickly jumped out. Leo took one last look at the Shredder, who let out a deep and sinister laugh.

"Run back to your master, Leonardo. But trust me, you know your place."

Leo turned and followed Raph, his stomach churning.

"Mikey! Mikey!" Donnie begged, shaking Michelangelo's shoulders. He was injured, badly. Mikey had tried to take the Shredder from the back, but Shredder turned and punctured through his abdomen. Donnie had carried him back and done the best he could to bandage it, but he was afraid it wasn't good enough.

April was pacing the room. "Where are Raph and Leo? They should be back by now!" She brushed her bangs out of her face and knelt beside Donnie, who was putting a cool rag on Mikey's head.

"At least his breathing is steady." Donnie said, shakily. "But if we don't do something more, he might not make it." Donnie clenched his hands and closed his eyes. He felt nauseous. _It wasn't supposed to turn out this way! We were supposed to defeat the Shredder!_ He opened his eyes and glanced at Mikey, who appeared pale and sickly.

"He doesn't have much time." Came a voice from behind them. Donnie and April spun around to see Splinter with a worried look on his face. Donnie bit his lip and turned back to Mikey. April placed her hand on his shell, but it didn't comfort Donnie at all. He felt nothing, except the ever-present nausea.

"Donnie!" Yelled Raph, who ran in followed by Leo. They came over to where Mikey was, expecting to see him up. Instead they found a pale, seemingly lifeless turtle.

"I don't know what else to do." Donnie said. "I don't think any organs were punctured, but he lost a lot of blood." Raph fell to his knees and Leo patted Donnie on the back.

"You did your best. Thanks Donnie." Donnie tried to smile but felt choked up. April wiped a tear, trying to hold it together. No one said anything for an hour, they just sat around, watching Mikey or watching the wall.

After an hour had passed, Splinter suggested they all get some shuteye. Raph stumbled into his room, not saying anything to anyone. Splinter went into the dojo and April walked to her temporary room.

Leo started to leave, but turned around to see Donnie sitting by Michelangelo's side. "Staring at him all night won't help." He said.

Donnie did turn around. He just muttered, "I can't leave him. He would do the same."

Leo returned to Donnie's side and sat down next to him. "Donnie, Mikey will pull through. He always does. Besides, he wouldn't want you to sit here all night miserable."

"You don't understand," Donnie said, his lip quivering, "none of you were as close to him as I was. He was my closest companion. I… I…"

"I understand." Leo said. He got up without another word and left. No amount of persuading would get Donnie to leave Mikey's side.

Leonardo closed the door to his room and sat on his bed, clutching his katana. He stared at the wall, thinking. _I know my place._ After what seemed like an eternity, he got up and silently slipped out of the sewers.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Leo stepped towards the door, his sweaty hands gripping one of his katanas. Was it worth it? He pushed open the door and crept inside. The door shut behind him and Leonardo again found himself face to face with the Shredder.

"I knew you would come back." Shredder said. Leo gripped the katana even tighter, his fingers near to losing circulation.

"I shouldn't have even come." Leo said.

"Then why did you?"

"I'm confused." He said. "You said you would take me in just like you did Karai. But why did you try to kill Michelangelo?"

Even though he wore a helmet, Leo could see Shredder arch his eyebrows. "Try to kill him? It was nothing but an accident."

"An accident? Please. You stabbed him through his shell!"

"This may be true, but I also know you don't have the equipment to save him. Join the foot, Leonardo, and I will help your brother. Decline, and you will watch him perish."

Donnie snapped awake. _How long have I been out?_ He looked at his watch. Five minutes. Donnie looked over at Mikey. His breathing had become rapid and irregular, and he apparently hadn't woken up yet. Donnie stumbled into his lab to grab new bandages, and on his way out, knocked over a table of equipment.

"Who's there?" April said groggily, rubbing her head as she stepped out from her room.

"Sorry, April. Didn't mean to wake you." Donnie said. He yawned and walked over to Mikey, carefully removing his bandages.

"How is he?"

"Not much better. I'm afraid he won't make it to tomorrow night." April sighed and ran her fingers through her hair, which wasn't in a ponytail. It was one of the few times Donnie got to see her without makeup or having her hair done. If it were under different circumstance, he'd blush and try to avoid eye contact. But tonight was different, not even April could cheer him up.

"There's got to be something else we can do! We can't just sit here!" April exclaimed as Donnie wrapped the new bandages around Mikey's wound. "We can't let him…"

"I know." Donnie interrupted. "But we don't have much time and we don't have the right equipment. I'm afraid his battle with Shredder was his last."

As a tear slipped down April's cheek, Leo walked in, creeping along the wall. Donnie heard him and turned around. "Where have you been, Leo?"

"Uh, I was patrolling."

"At four thirty in the morning?"

"Crime never sleeps." He said in his best Captain Ryan voice. Donnie gave a sad smile and turned back around to Mikey. "How is he?" Leo continued.

"Donnie says he doesn't think Mikey will make it to tomorrow night. And he hasn't woken up yet." April mumbled. Leo threw his katanas off and walked over to Mikey.

"Is he in pain?"

"I imagine so. Look at how ragged his breathing is. A stab through the shell can't feel too good." Donnie said, wadding up the old bandages and moving towards the trashcan.

"If Raph awake?" Leo asked. Donnie shook his head.

"Even if he was, I don't think he'd come out. He doesn't do well with this sort of thing." Leo nodded and headed to his room. "Going to bed?" Donnie asked.

"Yeah, and if I can't sleep, I'll just do some thinking." Leo said, shutting the door behind him.

_Donnie says he doesn't think Mikey will make it to tomorrow night._

_It was nothing but an accident._

_Look at how ragged his breathing is._

_I shouldn't have even come._

_He doesn't do well with this sort of thing._

_Join the foot, Leonardo, and I will help your brother._

Leonardo rolled over onto his side, staring at a picture taken on their last mutation day. You could see the water balloons Mikey had behind his back, which right after the picture was taken he threw one at everyone, even Splinter.

_Decline, and you will watch him perish._

"Mikey, what am I supposed to do? What would you want me to do?" Leo rolled onto his back, staring at the ceiling.

He knew exactly what he had to do.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"Raph, have you seen Leo?" Donnie called from his lab. Mikey lay on the table behind him, still unresponsive.

"No, why?"

"I need him to go out and get me some supplies." Donnie sighed, rubbing his hands over his face. Since Mikey was hurt four days ago, Donnie had slept about five hours, spending every waking minute tending to Mikey and drowning in coffee. Michelangelo's condition had improved, but not enough to live to the end of the week.

"Raph! Still waiting on Leo!"

"I told you! I don't know where he is!"

"I know where he is." April said, walking into Donnie's lab. She wrapped her arms around his left arm, and Donnie felt the blood rushing to his cheeks. He yawned and turned to face April.

"You do? Where is he?"

"I saw him in town today, he was walking down the street, but I don't know where he was going."

"You think you could take Raph there?"

"Definitely."

"Thanks, April, you're the best." Donnie said, his gap showing in his wide smile.

She smiled back. "You're welcome. Raph!"

"Have him brought to the hospital down the street, my foot soldiers will take him from there." Shredder said, his back turned to Leonardo. Leo's insides were churning; he couldn't believe what he had done. He had made a deal with the devil.

"Will do." He said. "But if you let him die, or if you go after my brothers, I will turn on you in an instant."

The Shredder laughed, it was loud and deep, yet unsettling to Leo. "Trust me, Leonardo. I am a man of my word." Leo nodded, then hung his head and ran out of the building. He had to call Donnie.

April wrapped her arms tighter around Raph's abdomen as he took a sharp left turn. She had never been fond of motorcycles, and the T-cycle was no exception. The wind whipped through her hair, and she could have sworn she lost her hair tie a few blocks back.

"I think I see him." Raph said, taking another sharp turn. "And lighten up on the squeeze, would you? I'm about to throw up my lunch!"

"Sorry!" April yelled over the motor. She loosened her grip a little and held her breath as they skidded to a stop. Raph called Leo's name, but he didn't answer.

"He's on the phone, Raph, don't be rude." April said.

"In an ally way? Something isn't right."

"He's fine, probably talking to Donnie or something."

Raph and April got off the cycle and walked over, keeping themselves hidden but listening in. They could pick up pieces of what he said.

"Donnie, just bring him to the hospital downtown. I met a guy who can take care of him, and he doesn't care that we're turtles. Yes, it's safe I promise. Well if you leave him there, what good will it do? Don't worry; I've got it taken care of. Ok, bye Don."

"See," April said, "He's helping Donnie with taking care of Mikey."

"Oh yeah?" Raph said, "Look again." April turned and saw Leo walking out of the Ally, followed by two foot soldiers. April gasped.

"What is he doing?" She said.

"I don't know, but we have to warn Donnie. Come on!" Raph said, pulling his helmet on and jumping on the T-cycle. April followed, silently praying she'd live through the drive to warn Donnie.


End file.
